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Meridian Mayfair Boosts Homemaking Skills

“Get on your marks, get set, go!”

The signal is a familiar one, but if you’re thinking in terms of the 100-yard dash, think again. Chances are, you’re hearing the starting note of a white-shirt ironing contest, or perhaps a little friendly competition in hair rolling or button sewing.

It’s all part of the Meridian Idaho Stake Mayfair, an annual homemaking fair for members of the stake’s Young Women.

The Mayfair is a popular event. Eighty percent of the girls of the Meridian Idaho Stake participated in this year’s variety of competitions and displays and in the fashion show, which featured clothes made by the girls.

The purpose of the event, say Meridian leaders, is to give girls a chance to show off their homemaking skills, both in a spirit of fun and in serious accomplishment.

The girls of the stake displayed cooking and sewing talents and other skills such as quilting, painting, doll making, and ceramics. Their entries were judged and awarded ribbons.

But perhaps the most popular parts of the Mayfair are the special competitions. Contests involve white-shirt ironing, hair rolling, make-up application, pancake cooking, karmel korn sculpture, button sewing, and a number known as “Rub-a-dub-dub” in which girls race to wash a T-shirt and pair of socks, aided only by an old-fashioned laundry tub and washboard.

This year’s winners were narrowed down through a series of play-offs and announced at a banquet where the Meridian girls were served (quite appropriately) by the young men of the Aaronic Priesthood.

Book Review

Daughters of Light
Compiled by Carol Lynn Pearson
Trilogy Arts pp. 96, $3.50

At a time when women in the world are searching for an identity and power of their own, Carol Lynn Pearson, in her book Daughters of Light, points out how much greater is the influence and accomplishments of our LDS women who chose to follow the priesthood in directing their lives rather than be led by the fads of the times.

Although the early women of the Church lacked many of the powers of today’s women—e.g. the vote, equal employment opportunities, etc.—they possessed the strength to assist in the leadership capacities of the Church and in their own homes. While working under the direction of the priesthood, early women in the Church were known to speak in tongues, prophesy, perform healings, cast out evil spirits—all stemming from their faithfulness to the Lord and not from any demands for equal manifestations as those given priesthood bearers.

As Sister Pearson states in her preface, “This book is one study, in one direction, intended to give the Latter-day Saint woman an affirmation of some of the things God has given her. She need not be deceived by those who would tell her she is not in a position of strength, for her powers are enormous.” She is quick to point out that the book is not intended to suggest deviation from or rebellion against the priesthood authority or encourage seeking after a sign.

The book is a collection of accounts, mostly extracted from journals and periodicals, of women’s faithfulness and contributions to the new Church and building of Zion.

Brigham Young’s daughter Susa Young Gates recalled seeing the “effect of sunlight” on the face of President Joseph F. Smith during the dedicatory services of the Salt Lake Temple in 1893. Sister Gates said later, “It was but an added testimony to me that he was the ‘Chosen of the Lord.’ I cherish the occurrence as one of the most sacred experiences of my life.”

One priesthood bearer remembered as a young boy a meeting at his home in which Eliza R. Snow, Zina D. Young, Clara Kimball, and other leaders of the Relief Society were present. While he was playing on the floor, he heard Sister Snow, by the gift of tongues, and Zina D. Young, by interpretation, promise that he should grow to manhood and become an apostle of the Lord. The man recalling the incident was President Heber J. Grant.

As Sister Pearson writes: “Women of today are searching for models of righteous strength. We can find them nowhere better than in our own historical heritage. The foremothers of today’s Latter-day Saint women were indeed ‘Daughters of Light.’”

A Singular Life: Perspectives for the Single Woman
by Carol Clark
Deseret Book Company pp. 60, $3.50

“No one has ever said that being single is easy, nor is it the most difficult assignment in life. Even in the most practical aspects of life, each woman needs to be aware of what living the gospel can do for her.”

Carol Clark is herself aware of what the single woman can find within the gospel and eagerly shares this knowledge in her book, along with thoughts and ideas on single living as expressed by prophets, General Authorities, and single women themselves.

Sister Clark recognizes the unique position of the LDS single, living as she must in a culture that places great emphasis on marriage and the family.

“The single person must determine how she and the principle, not the practice, of marriage can work together gracefully for an indefinite period of time,” writes the author, and that determination is just what her book is all about.

Carol Clark advises women to take a three-way look at their lives in a career analysis, a personal analysis, and a spiritual analysis. The woman who has truly accepted herself is not afraid to admit the need for changes, nor to carry out those changes.

By being aware of life around her, the single woman can find a myriad of meaningful experiences in life.

“By slowly learning that it is not always the major productions of life that bring the golden memories, a woman comes to treasure the daily miracles and to live in awe of the daily spectacles. And echoing in a life full to bursting with the untold pleasures and responsibilities of service is an answer to Moroni’s ubiquitous question, ‘What do I do with myself?’”

Carol Clark’s book is a book of guidance and hope, showing that the single life can indeed be a “singular” one as well.

“Delaying full living until the white knight á la white charger comes into view is never a solution. In the planning for eventual marriage or another lifestyle, spinning time into a web of uneasy, sighed frustrations has no place. It is a fallacy to assume that happiness begins the day some man thunders across the horizon. Certainly there is a sense of completion, a blossoming always evident in a woman truly in love. It is this very glow that makes falling in love so attractive to those who are still single. The personal challenge is not to wait successfully but to live richly, fully, joyfully. The goal is not to wait for the right person but to be the right person.”

LDS Runner Breaks Track Record

Lezli Peterson credits part of her success to the fact that she comes from a running family—running not away from home or the law but around a track.

She, her brother, and her sister began running six years ago and are now members of the AAU-affiliated Santa Cruz-ers track team, which her father coaches.

Last spring Lezli set a Pacific Association and California State record in the 12-and 13-year-old division of the 440-yard run with a time of 57.3 seconds.

During spring track seasons, Lezli competes in the 100-, 200-, 440-, and 880-yard runs and also enters the long jump competition. Two-mile cross-country running rounds out her season in the fall.

Off the track Lezli finds time to enjoy sewing, gymnastics, and reading, especially from the Book of Mormon. She and her family are active in the Santa Cruz Ward of the Saratoga California Stake.

Business Student Takes Top Honors

A $1,000 award and the title of Miss Future Business Leader of America 1974 went recently to 17-year-old Sheila Lucas of Ogden, Utah.

Sheila gained the national honor at the FBLA convention in San Francisco, after having won the Utah state title.

Sheila is a graduate of Weber High School and the recipient of many honors, including the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award and the Outstanding Business Student Award. She was also named a finalist in both the Sterling Scholar and National Merit competitions.

Sheila is a seminary graduate and is an active member of the Slaterville Ward, Ogden Utah Farr West Stake, where she has served as president of her Laurel class and secretary of her stake youth committee.

California Student Discovers Gospel in France

Robin Maxwell has lived within the boundaries of the Atascadero Ward of the San Luis Obispo California Stake all her life, but not until she traveled to France with two LDS classmates did she learn about the Church.

Robin toured France in the summer of 1972 with a group from her high school. One Sunday she accepted the invitation of two LDS students to attend worship services with them. Even though the three could not locate a chapel, she was intrigued by her classmates’ discussion of gospel principles. Upon her return to Atascadero, Robin began the missionary discussions. A few months later she was baptized.

A girl of many accomplishments, Robin was a speaker at both her high school and seminary graduations and is currently studying elementary education at BYU.